After exploring the length of the boardwalk and working our way back to the car, we drove slowly down the road to a beautiful clump of Showy Ladyslipper orchids. Another visitor actually pointed them out to us, and they were certainly the highlight of the visit for us.
The showiest flower that people come to Petrel Point hoping to see is the Showy Ladyslipper, a beautiful white and pink orchid. We found a clump not along the boardwalk, but along the road itself.
They were just beginning to bloom, and the clump we found were mostly facing the other direction, but they were still the highlight of the day for us.
I managed a photo of the blooms on the edge of the clump that showed the rich pink colour, so we were pleased.
We drove down the road a short distance only to find cottages and their 'lawns'. But there was a nice scattering of the red Indian Paintbrush at one point.
Heading back out to the highway we passed the very marshy Sky Lake, where Mrs. F.G. stopped to get a picture of a big Muskrat lodge.
But when we got out to the highway Mrs. F.G. said "Let's go further north" - so we did, all the way to Lion's Head. Along the way we had a great lunch in Ferndale. After stopping at a new bakery along the way we drove down to the beach in the village. We've been here many times before, but not since I became paralyzed.
A close-up shows you the 'lion's head' in the profile of the cliff, and the small marina with its famous lighthouse. This lighthouse was destroyed completely in the storm of Jan. 12th, 2020 and has been rebuilt by a team of volunteers using the original plans. It's now the town's landmark! And thus ended our longest adventure yet!
Beautiful! Some of the orchids at Purdon were starting to brown on their tips a bit, so closing on 'past their best', but there were still lots of them that weren't.
ReplyDeleteThat was quite the road trip you took, from Meaford to Lion's Head. You had a beautiful day for it. That blue water looks so inviting!
You certainly had a beautiful day and place for adventuring, FG. I am craving some views of "big water", not just the lakes, little ponds and the rivers here.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful day you had. The beautiful flowers of the fen and roadside were lovely. Any time there is a waterview is special.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the muskrat lodge photo. I had no idea they built such large homes!
ReplyDeleteThis is the second time the muskrats of the world surprised me. The first time was when kayaking in a marsh like in your photo. A muskrat swam buy my kayak, just out of reach of the paddle. So smooth and graceful! Maybe he was just curious. And yet when you see them on land, they seem like an ordinary, ugly, brown rodent.
You certainly have an abundance of lady's-slippers, courtesy of the limestone bedrock beneath the Bruce Peninsula.
ReplyDeleteThe lodge, a lot of work and planning for that wonderful construction. Love the roadside floral displays.
ReplyDelete